Heredity and Variation: Continuity and Change in the Living World by L.C. Dunn

Heredity and Variation: Continuity and Change in the Living World by L.C. Dunn.  Hardcover book published by The University Society 1934, 120 pages.

This book is part of a series entitled “Highlights of Modern Knowledge”.  The Heredity and Variation in the title is referring to the science of Genetics.  Most of you are probably aware that Mendel  the master mutant pea grower, had a lot to do with the early research into genetics… even though no one knew about it at the time… or nearly no one… I’m pretty sure he didn’t know about it either.  But by 1934 when this book was published Mendel was the pin up boy of Geneticists worldwide and this book doesn’t shy away from referencing the man.  Indeed the author (or publisher) even included this photograph of his monument.

Of course science has come a long since 1934 and I’m not really sure how relevant the information in this book is to today’s geneticists but you know what… it’s still science and it’s still interesting (?). The reason this book caught my attention is the wonderful photographs and illustrations that it contains. 

 

So how sellable is this book?  Well I’ve just listed it for the second time on ebay and to tell you the truth, I’m not feeling very confident re a sale.  I’d like to sell it… but then again, I’d like to sell all the books I have for sale… but no, what I’m referring to here is that I would like to sell this “lovely” book.  This is a bit difficult to explain as I’m sure there are those of you out there who are probably reading this thinking: “What the hell is this crazy guy talking about?  Of course he wants to sell books.  He’s a bookseller.”  Sometimes I find a book that I think is nice and as per the subtitle of this blog, interesting as well.  Yeah I want to make $$$ from it, but I also want it to go to a new home, that appreciates it.  A bit like a puppy… well maybe not quite like a puppy as there’s a lot less mess with this book… I think you get the idea. 

So sadly, I don’t think that this book will be finding a new owner.  Maybe it’s something I can pass on to another book dealer, something that if they can’t sell they can pass on as again and again.  A bit like a mutant pea that retains certain characteristics that are undesirable… in this instance unsellability.  Someone should write a book about it.